PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2011

Transcription

1 Thursday 16 February 2012 PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2011 Richard Glynn Chief Executive Ian Bull Chief Financial Officer Matt Sharff Head of Investor Relations Ciaran O Brien Corporate Affairs Director Tel: +44 (0)

2 Retail profit growth and Digital momentum into 2012 Financial highlights Group net revenue (1) grew by 0.4% to million Group operating profit (1) (2) of million, down 0.4% after excluding one off VAT credit (3) in 2010 with profit before tax and net finance expense down 6.1% Net debt reduced by 38.1 million and continued strong cash generation Increased dividend per share; final dividend of 3.90 pence up 4.0%; full year of 7.80 pence, up 2.6% UK Retail highlights UK Retail operating profit (1) (2) of million, up 2.1% Profit per shop up 6.9% (3) year on year Resilience of OTC (over the counter) with amounts staked marginally up in 2011 Machines gross win of million, up 19.2%, with gross win per terminal week of 860 for the year and 930 in Q4 Continued cost discipline with like for like operating costs up only 0.9% (3) Further growth and cost control initiatives underway for 2012 Digital highlights Net revenue decline of 3.5% driven by poker and Q4 sportsbook margin mask underlying improvement in Digital customer acquisition and conversion Q4 sportsbook sign ups up 77%, actives up 24% and amounts staked up 22% Strong mobile growth with net revenue up 174% to 15.6 million 33% of sportsbook customers placing a mobile bet in H2, up from 12% in FY 2010 Significant expansion of Bet in Play with another 20,000 events to come in 2012 Beta testing of new website underway; full launch in coming weeks Richard Glynn, Chief Executive, commented: We are continuing to make progress with our plan to reinvigorate Ladbrokes. The UK Retail business has performed strongly this year. OTC has continued to prove resilient in a weak economy with stakes marginally up on The contribution from machines has been excellent and we have grown profit per shop for a second consecutive year despite a comparatively poor gross win margin in the second half of 2011 and continued cost pressures. In 2012 we expect to build on this with further growth in machines, robust cost control, a renewed focus on local market competitiveness and the evolution of the retail customer experience. In Digital, we are pleased to have seen acceleration in the growth of customer numbers. Sportsbook and casino sign ups and actives have increased strongly in H2 following the start of increased marketing investment in August. We are continuing to invest in technology to improve our trading capabilities, expand our range of products and improve our delivery to the customer. Mobile is delivering impressive growth with further product expansion and innovation to come throughout the year. We have begun investing consistently in brand and Digital marketing and we will continue this investment process in 2012 having begun to see tangible benefits in Whilst we remain cautious on the outlook for the economy, we are now starting to see real momentum within the business. We are planning for further growth in UK Retail and in Digital, we expect revenues to grow throughout the year as we build upon the positive growth in customer acquisition achieved to date. We have a number of important milestones in the next few months and are confident of delivering growth in profit during the second half of the year as the benefits from our investments combine. 2

3 Continuing operations (unless stated otherwise) Year on year change m m % Revenue (exc. High Rollers) % Operating profit by Division (exc. High Rollers) (2) : UK Retail % European Retail (3.6%) Digital (12.3%) Core Telephone Betting (4.0) (0.4) n/a Corporate costs (23.2) (23.0) (0.9%) Total operating profit (exc. High Rollers) (4.3%) High Rollers (3.2) 5.0 n/a Group operating profit (2) (8.2%) Profit before tax and net finance expense (6.1%) Profit before tax (8.5%) Profit for the year (on total operations) (66.1%) Underlying basic earnings per share (4) 15.3p 15.2p 0.7% Basic earnings per share 13.0p 41.5p (68.7%) Total dividend per share 7.80p 7.60p 2.6% Financial position Cash generated by total operations (11.9%) Net debt (7.7%) (1) (2) (3) (4) Continuing operations, excluding High Rollers. Profit before tax, net finance expense, amortisation of customer relationships and non trading items of 19.8 million (2010: 28.5 million). Excludes a one off credit of VAT received in 2010 ( 8.1million at total Group level and 6.7million in UK Retail). Adjusted to exclude non-trading items, High Rollers and corporation tax settlement benefit in the comparative year. Enquiries to: Matt Sharff, Head of Investor Relations Ciaran O Brien, Director of Corporate Affairs Telephone +44 (0) Notes to editors: The Company will be hosting an analyst presentation at the DB Auditorium (Winchester House, 75 London Wall, EC2N 2DB) at 9am this morning. This will be available to listen into by dialling +44 (0) and using passcode #. Alternatively a live webcast of the presentation, with slides, will be available at the Investor Centre on A recording of the webcast will be available, at the same location, from 12pm (UK time) the same day. Similarly a replay phone facility will be available, for 7 days, on + 44 (0) using passcode: # For further information on Ladbrokes plc, please visit our corporate website at High-resolution images are available to download from the media centre section under the heading 'image library'. Executive images are also available at in the Ladbrokes section. 3

4 Chief Executive s Review Summary Our investments in people, technology and marketing across all parts of the business, are on track and starting to deliver results. In UK Retail, we have accelerated machine growth after rolling out new terminals in H1. Together with disciplined control of operating costs and the resilience of OTC staking, this has helped us to grow profit per shop despite a challenging economic environment. We plan to continue to grow UK Retail in 2012 with a strong pipeline of new shop openings and initiatives to control costs and improve service already underway. We have laid the foundations of our new trading systems which from Q enabled a material increase in the volume of Bet in Play markets offered to our customers. We will continue to enhance our trading capabilities in 2012 with investment in an improved cross channel fieldbook and further tools to help optimise margin. Throughout the year we have driven our mobile offer adding new products and improving the customer experience in sportsbook and casino. Mobile is a growing area of the market and one we will continue to drive going forward. The reinvigoration of our brand began in August 2011 with the launch of a new marketing campaign which has shown positive results since then with accelerating growth in sign ups, actives and amounts staked. This growth in customer acquisition is encouraging and we will continue to invest in Digital marketing throughout We will fully launch our new sportsbook website in the next few weeks, with a similar revamping of our gaming website to follow later in the year. This development of our capabilities in e Commerce, together with a new mobile platform in Q2, will significantly enhance our competitiveness and the Digital experience for customers. Marketing and technology investments will increasingly enable us to grow Digital profits as they begin to converge in the second half of UK Retail OTC stability, machines and cost control drive growth We significantly improved our competitive position in 2011 through the efficient rollout of the new Global Draw terminals, increased operational focus and enhanced customer service. Machine gross win grew by 58.1 million in 2011, with gross win per terminal week of 860 (2010: 730) up 17.8% on Machine net revenue has grown 16.6% despite 6.3 million of additional VAT in 2011 following the rate increase at the start of the year. In 2012 we expect to drive further growth in machines through the introduction of yield management techniques. These will enable us to manage better demand, particularly around peak hours. We will continue to deliver further quality content to our customers and to personalise their machines experience through Odds On, which will be extended to machines in H The performance of OTC has been negatively impacted this year by adverse sporting results, particularly in Q4. Smaller field sizes, a lower over-round per runner and a higher than average proportion of winning favourites affected horse racing, whilst we also saw a comparatively poor period for football results. Gross win margin of 15.6% (2010: 16.7%) for the year was well below the five year average ( : 16.5%). Despite difficult economic conditions and strong machine growth, OTC activity has remained resilient, with stake per slip, slippage and amounts staked all broadly flat in We continue to demonstrate a firm control of costs, with total operating costs for UK Retail up 3.7% and a like for like increase of only 0.9%. (1) Growth in 2012 Our retail business is a key foundation in our reinvigoration strategy, providing a reliable source of regulated revenues and strong cash generation. We have continued to invest profitably in renewing and expanding the estate, with an average payback of three years on new openings since In 2011 we opened 50 new shops and closed 21. We are targeting 60 openings in 2012 to include circa 40 new shop formats specifically designed to cater for changing trends in retail betting and gaming. (1) Across comparable shops and adjusted to exclude 6.7 million one off VAT credit in

5 These designs focus on football, Bet in Play and machines, with a growing emphasis on technology and enhanced customer service at a lower operational cost per shop. We have also introduced a simplified staff grading structure to help support a more proactive approach to customer service. This reorganisation allows us to increase the average wage paid, whilst at the same time reducing overall people costs, through a decrease in the average number of shop staff per hour. Furthermore we will drive shop performance through increased use of market data and customer insight to drive market share at a local level. UK Retail operating costs for 2012 are projected to increase by approximately 3% on a like for like basis and 5% including the impact of new openings. Digital Profit decline driven by Poker and sporting results in H2 Digital net revenue in 2011 was down 3.5% for the full year, having been up 0.1% in H1. Unfavourable sporting results, particularly in Q4, impacted heavily on the sportsbook margin which was almost two percentage points lower than Q This margin weakness masks positive underlying trends in the business, with strong growth indicators in sportsbook and casino in H2, driven primarily by the commencement of our marketing investment in August Poker continues to be challenging, although the rate of decline slowed significantly in H2. Whilst poker has to date not been a strategic area of focus, we will be working increasingly to address performance throughout Digital profit for the year of 55.0 million was down 12.3%. Automation in trading enables expansion of Bet in Play During 2011 we started to develop our pricing, trading and liability management capabilities through the reorganisation of the trading function, investment in a new platform and the increased use of automated algorithms. This allowed us to increase materially the number of Bet in Play opportunities we offer customers. In October for example we offered in excess of 700 football events per week compared to an average of only 200 per week in Bet in Play amounts staked was up 20% in H (2011 H1: 8%). Further Bet in Play growth and enhanced liability management In 2012 we plan to add another 20,000 Bet in Play events, growing our offer by over 60% (to circa 50,000 events) through further expansion of football as well as more events in other sports. We will also extend the use of automated techniques to bolster our pre match offer. Further technology developments are underway. New proprietary tools will allow us to develop the management of trading liabilities, optimise margin and further automate pricing, combining scientific rigour with the art of trading. New agreements with key suppliers enable product expansion During the year we renegotiated our contract with key suppliers such as Microgaming. New commercial relationships allow a greater degree of flexibility in adding content from other suppliers and in expanding our offer into markets beyond the UK. In 2011 we added an additional 63 casino style games to our online gaming offer (61 of these in H2) and will continue to expand this further having already added another 14 in New sportsbook website to launch this month After making a number of incremental improvements to our main customer website in 2011, we will go live this month with a new sportsbook. The new site, powered by Hybris technology represents a significant evolution of our current offer, enabling more effective promotion of our increased range of products and a personalised online experience as it learns from customer preferences and behaviour. Automatic market updates, one click bet placement, product recommendations and advanced navigation are just a few of the features which will give us a far more sophisticated website which is, most importantly, easier and more intuitive for our customers. We will continue to make incremental enhancements to the sportsbook throughout 2012 as well as replicating its functionality across all gaming products, starting with casino in H2. Further innovation to come in mobile We continue to see impressive growth rates in mobile net revenue which is up 174% compared to A third of sportsbook customers placed a mobile bet during the second half of 2011 and mobile sportsbook net revenue accounted for 17% of the Digital sportsbook (2010: 6%). 5

6 Product innovation and promotion will increasingly drive mobile growth going forward. We have recently signed agreements with Realistic and Probability which will help drive further expansion of our range of casino games on iphone and Android, as well as specific content for tablets. In H we will launch bingo and poker apps in addition to an app for Euro We are on plan in Q to launch a new and bespoke mobile platform capturing many of the features of the new sportsbook website, whilst being explicitly designed around an optimised mobile experience. Improvement in digital marketing As part of improving our digital marketing, we have completed phase one of our digital optimisation, improving the effectiveness of Pay Per Click (PPC), enhancing our search engine capabilities and introducing a more sophisticated affiliate programme. We have also continued to improve our modelling of customer behaviours, automated communications and cross sell activities. In 2012 we have a clear plan to augment further our use of data in order to maximise customer lifetime values and are also on track with the development of improved capabilities in campaign management. Investment in marketing drives strong increase in activity in H2 In August we began a new marketing campaign, supporting the ongoing development of our customer offer. Initial results have been encouraging and show clear progress with good growth in both sportsbook and casino KPIs. Sportsbook sign ups grew 77%, actives 24% and amounts staked 22% in Q4 with casino sign ups and actives up 82% and 72% respectively. In 2012 we will invest further in marketing, at a level ahead of H2 2011, as we look to grow revenue and build upon the benefits delivered by our ongoing investment in technology. Regulation Leadership in UK regulatory affairs Ladbrokes continues to engage with Government and stakeholders to ensure the full impacts of potential changes in tax and regulation are fully understood. We support a fair and stable fiscal and regulatory framework for the betting industry in the UK that will enable it to continue to contribute to economic growth and tax revenues as well as protect jobs. The forthcoming budget in March 2012 will outline the rate of Machine Games Duty which is set to replace the current machine taxes of Amusement Machine Licence Duty and VAT. Formal consultations are planned by Government with regard to the regulation and taxation of offshore remote gambling operators, and Government is also progressing the modernisation of the Horserace Betting Levy. We are also actively engaged with MPs in both parties to demonstrate the positive contribution betting shops make on the High Street, with the aim of retaining the current planning and licensing framework regarding betting shops. Growing our presence in regulating markets overseas Whilst the primary focus of the business is on ensuring key investments and initiatives enhance our position in our main UK market we remain alert to opportunities in regulated markets overseas. In Europe we have launched a Danish betting and gaming website ladbrokes.dk under the new regulations and have a local team to help us develop and market our Danish offer. We have also applied for a licence for a Spanish Internet service lbapuesta.es which is expected to launch when the new regulatory system is finalised by the incoming Spanish Government. We continue to accrue for gaming tax in relation to this. Further afield, Ladbrokes Joint Venture in China with Asia Gaming Technologies (AGT) has launched a virtual motor racing game in the Chinese province of Hunan. The service which is available in over 1,500 shops means Ladbrokes is one of the few companies to be operating in the regulated Chinese market. Further products are planned and the existing game has the potential to expand within Hunan and other Chinese provinces depending on Sports Lottery Administration Centre approval. In the US we have recently signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Stadium Technology Group, a Las Vegas based supplier of software and In Play betting applications to sportsbook operators. This relatively small investment of $3 million comes at a time when a number of states are exploring the liberalisation of betting and gaming. The potential for regulatory change and the size of the US market make it a sensible time to establish a presence. 6

7 Current trading and outlook In the period from 1 January 2012 to 7 February 2012 Group net revenue (excluding High Rollers) was up 14.7%. UK Retail net revenue was up 13.0% year on year with strong growth in both OTC and machines. OTC amounts staked were down 2.1%, though this was driven by a high number of horseracing cancellations in the first week of February. OTC amounts staked for January were up 1.0%. In Digital, net revenue was up 13.1% with continued double digit growth in sign ups and actives in both sportsbook and casino. High Rollers for the period generated an operating profit of 0.6 million. Whilst the uncertain consumer outlook in the UK remains a concern the Board is encouraged by the resilience of the UK Retail estate and early signs of growth in Digital. We look forward to completing the second part of our investment programme during 2012 and continuing the reinvigoration of Ladbrokes. 7

8 Audited results for the year ended 2011 Continuing operations Net revenue by division: m m UK Retail European Retail Digital Core Telephone Betting Group net revenue (exc. High Rollers) High Rollers (4.2) 3.5 Group net revenue Operating profit (1)(2) (exc. High Rollers) Operating (loss)/profit (1)(2) from High Rollers (3.2) 5.0 Amortisation of customer relationships (2.6) - Profit before net finance expense, tax and non-trading items Net finance expense (2) (32.8) (34.0) Interest income on tax settlement Profit before tax and non-trading items (2) Non-trading items before tax (3) (20.3) (46.2) Profit before tax Income tax expense (16.8) (33.6) Income tax settlement credit Profit after tax continuing operations Profit/(loss) after tax discontinued operations 0.4 (27.1) Profit for the year EBITDA (2) continuing Basic earnings per share (2) continuing Basic earnings per share (2) (excluding tax settlement credit in 2010) continuing 15.0p 15.0p 46.4p 15.6p (1) (2) (3) Profit before tax, finance expense, non-trading items and amortisation of customer relationships. Before non-trading items and discontinued operations. Non-trading items are profits or losses on disposal or impairment of non-current assets or businesses, unrealised gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, corporate transaction costs and business restructuring costs. 8

9 Business Review UK Retail UK Year on year change m m % - OTC amounts staked 2, , Machines amounts staked 10, , Amounts staked 12, , OTC gross win (5.8) - Machines gross win Gross win Adjustments to GW (1) (70.4) (54.6) (28.9) - OTC net revenue (5.9) - Machines net revenue Net revenue Gross profits tax (57.5) (61.2) 6.0 Associate income (36.8) Operating costs (475.9) (458.7) (3.7) Operating profit (2) (1) Fair value adjustments, free bets and VAT (2) Before non-trading items (3) Greyhound tracks account for 11.0 million of amounts staked and 7.1 million of gross win in 2011 (2010: 10.3 million of amounts staked and 6.5 million of gross win) OTC activity has been resilient throughout 2011 with stake per slip broadly flat and amounts staked marginally up by 0.6%. Whilst the growth in stakes benefited in the year from fewer race meeting abandonments (68 meetings lost in Q versus only two in Q4 2011), this was largely offset by the lack of a major football tournament. Amounts staked adjusting for these factors was down by 0.3%. OTC gross win declined by 5.8% to million driven by a decline in gross win margin and the lack of a major football tournament in the year (the World Cup in 2010 generated gross win of 15.3 million). The gross win margin of 15.6% was 1.1 percentage points lower than 2010 and 0.9 percentage points lower than the five year margin average. This was as a result of comparatively poor football results in Q and a low horse margin due to smaller field sizes, a lower over-round per runner and a higher than average proportion of winning favourites. OTC net revenue decline was 5.9% with OTC free bets increasing by 1.3% or 0.1 million in We have significantly improved our machine performance in 2011, building upon the strong operational improvements made in H We completed the rollout of the new Global Draw terminals to all shops in the retail estate in May 2011, minimising both the length and impact of any adoption lag. The 2011 gross win of million was 19.2% ahead of 2010 with momentum evident in the H2 uplift of 23.2%. Gross win per terminal week grew to 860 in 2011 (2010: 730), an increase of 17.8%. In 2011 there were on average 8,050 terminals in the estate versus 7,953 in At 2011 there were 8,128 machines. We expect to continue our progress in 2012 through the increasing use of yield management techniques, further improvements to content from additional exclusive games launches and the growing ability to personalise our machines offer, with the planned rollout of Odds On to machines scheduled for H Despite a higher VAT rate, net revenue from machines grew 16.6%. 9

10 Operating costs grew 17.2 million in the year to million, a rise of 3.7%. Costs were up 2.4% allowing for the impact of new shop openings whilst 2010 benefitted from a one off additional VAT recovery of 6.7 million. Adjusting for this, underlying costs were up only 0.9% or 4.3 million, demonstrating consistent discipline, despite cost headwinds. This has been achieved despite a 7% increase in total shop opening hours which have been extended across 2011 as part of our overall plan to drive competitiveness and market share. Operating profit before non-trading items for the year was up 2.1% (7.0% adjusting for 2010 VAT credit) at million. At 2011 there were 2,127 shops ( 2010: 2,098) in Great Britain. During the year we opened 50 new shops and closed 21. In 2012 we are planning for 60 openings. European Retail Operating profit (1) within European Retail declined by 0.5 million or 3.6% to 13.4 million. European Retail comprises our operations in Ireland, Belgium and Spain. These are discussed in more detail below. Ireland Year on year change m m % - OTC amounts staked Machines amounts staked Amounts staked OTC gross win Machines gross win Gross win Net revenue Betting tax (7.9) (7.4) (6.8) Operating costs (62.1) (59.4) (4.5) Operating profit (1) (15.6) (1) Before non-trading items OTC amounts staked have continued to grow in Ireland, up 7.5% (H1: 5.3%) despite a tough economy and extremely competitive market in the Republic of Ireland in particular. Total gross win in Ireland increased by 1.9% to 81.4 million with machines and OTC up 16.3% and 0.9% respectively year on year. The OTC gross win margin of 12.7% was 0.8 percentage points behind 2010 with tough horse margins affected predominantly by the major festivals in H1. Faced with the current economic downturn we have focused on local competition and a drive to increase market share in the Republic of Ireland, as well as maintaining a tight control on costs across the whole Irish estate. Operating costs of 62.1 million were up 4.5% on 2010 driven primarily by the acquisition of 10 new shops at the start of the year. At 2011 there were 213 shops ( 2010: 208) in the Republic of Ireland and 79 shops (31 December 2010: 78) in Northern Ireland. During the year, we opened two new shops acquired 10 and closed six. 10

11 Belgium Year on year change m m % Amounts staked Net revenue (6.7) Betting tax (7.4) (16.8) 56.0 Gross profit Operating costs (30.9) (26.5) (16.6) Operating profit (1) (1) Before non-trading items The performance of the Belgium business has been predominantly driven by a change in tax regime from a turnover tax to a 15% gross profits tax. This was introduced from 1 January 2011 in Flanders and Wallonia and in Brussels from 1 April This change was fully passed on to customers and we have seen amounts staked increase steadily throughout the year with an expected decrease in net revenue more than offset by the decline in betting tax. Gross profit in 2011 increased by 6.2 million. Operating costs were up in the year by 4.4 million. This was driven by an increase in content costs and higher commission based payments to our independent shop managers following the positive impact of the tax change. Operating profit for 2011 increased 37.5% to 6.6 million. At 2011 there were 282 shops versus 288 at Spain Year on year change m m % Operating loss (1) (2.4) (1.8) (33.3) (1) Before non-trading items The performance in Spain for 2011 includes start up costs associated with our expansion beyond Madrid into Aragon in the year, where trading commenced at the end of April. We expect to begin trading in both Valencia and Navarra during H The Spanish economy continues to be difficult and performance has also been impacted by the introduction of a national smoking ban which was introduced on 2 January Despite the challenging market, Sportium remains the market leader in Madrid. Amounts staked in Madrid grew 8.1% in the year and the business generated a gross win margin of 18.4%. At 2011 there were 169 corners (105 Madrid, 64 Aragon) (2010: 91 corners) and 18 standalone shops (Madrid Only) (2010: 15 shops). 11

12 Digital Net revenue Year on year Change m m % - Sportsbook (5.2) - Casino Poker (24.5) - Bingo Games Net revenue (3.5) Betting tax (0.4) - n/a Operating costs (108.0) (106.7) (1.2) Operating profit (1) (12.3) (1) Before non-trading items and amortisation of 2.6 million (2010: nil) in respect of customer relationships has been a year of transition for the Digital business. Throughout the year we have been working towards developing a more competitive offer through increased investment in technology, Digital marketing and the delivery of broader and better content through new and existing supplier arrangements. Digital net revenue fell by 6.0 million (3.5%) to million (2010 included 6.8 million from the World Cup) with operating profit down 12.3% at 55.0 million. This has been driven by the continued decline of poker and a weak sportsbook margin, particularly in Q4 which was affected by a high proportion of winning favourites in horseracing and generally unfavourable football results. Active players grew by 9.9% driven by growth in sportsbook and casino being partially offset by a decline in poker and bingo. Sign ups have increased by 11.0% with strong H2 growth supported by increased investment in Digital marketing, including a new TV campaign which started in August. Costs were up 1.2% for the full year, with H2 costs up 6.2%, reflecting the increase in marketing investment year on year after the start of the new campaign. Digital operating profit overall was 7.7 million (12.3%) below 2010 at 55.0 million. Sportsbook net revenue of 61.7 million was 5.2% behind 2010 (5.8% ahead adjusting for 6.8 million World Cup revenue in 2010). This decline was largely driven by a lower gross win margin which was down 0.5 percentage points to 6.0% due to weaker horse and football margins, particularly in Q4. Amounts staked grew 6.4% for the year as a whole, with strong progression in H2 after the commencement of increased investment in a new Digital marketing campaign, which included new TV advertising to support the brand. Amounts staked, 0.6% down in H1, grew 6.4% in Q3 and 22.2% in Q4 (41% up for UK only). Growth in sportsbook actives has shown a similar pattern, up 11.2% for the year, but 24.1% in Q4. Our investment during the year in a new pricing and trading platform enabled us to offer significantly more Bet in Play markets. The number of football events traded per week reached over 700 in October. We will grow our Bet in Play offering further in 2012 supported by the launch of the new online sportsbook in Q1. Bet in Play amounts staked grew 13.4% in the year, 19.8% in H2 and now represent 49% of non racing activity (2010: 42%). Casino net revenue grew 2.9% with active players growing 14.4% driven primarily by H2 marketing campaigns including a free spins offer. Yield per customer declined 10.2% vs due to an increase in lower yielding actives together with volatility in contributions from higher value customers. Poker net revenue fell by 24.5% to 14.2 million as the market place remains challenging. Active players declined 16.2% with yield falling by 10.5%. We will be reviewing our poker offer in 2012, with a view to improving our competitive position in what is a tough market. 12

13 Bingo net revenue grew 2.2% to 14.0 million with active players declining 7.1% offset by a 9.3% increase in yield supported by a new customer loyalty scheme. Games net revenue increased by 0.6% with active players growing 5.0% driven in H2 by new games content including Rainbow Riches and Monopoly. Mobile continues to grow strongly with revenue growth up 174% to 15.6 million - sportsbook: 10.5 million (up 144%) and casino: 5.1 million (up 264%). Overall 22% of Digital players transacted through mobile in 2011, with a third of sportsbook customers using mobile in H2 (FY 2010: 12%). Mobile is a key growth area in the overall digital market and we will continue to focus on improving our customer offer, with more apps, more casino games and a new mobile platform all scheduled for H Core Telephone Betting Year on year Change m m % Amounts staked Net revenue (41.4) Gross profits tax (1.4) (2.5) 44.0 Operating costs (12.1) (14.1) 14.2 Operating loss (1) (4.0) (0.4) n/a (1) Before non-trading items Difficult trading in the year, driven particularly by football results in H1, meant the Core Telephone Betting business has struggled in Net revenue was down 41.4% or 6.7 million. This shortfall was partially offset by a reduction in operating costs as we continue to rationalise the call centre. The overall loss for the year was 4.0 million. High Rollers High Rollers for the year generated an operating loss of 3.2 million (2010: 5.0 million profit). 13

14 Financial Review Trading summary Continuing operations Revenue recognition reconciliation to gross win The Group reports the gains and losses on all betting and gaming activities as revenue in accordance with IAS 39, which is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable from customers less fair value adjustment for free bets, promotions and bonuses. Gross win includes free bets, promotions and bonuses, as well as VAT payable on machine income. A reconciliation of gross win to revenue for continuing operations is shown below m m Gross win 1, ,059.3 Adjustments (1) (41.3) (33.5) VAT (61.1) (45.7) Revenue (1) Includes free bets, promotions, bonuses and other fair value adjustments. The table below sets out the gross win and net revenue for each division Gross win Net revenue Gross win Net revenue m m m m UK Retail European Retail Digital Core Telephone Betting High Rollers (4.1) (4.2) Total 1, , Revenue Revenue from continuing operations decreased by 4.0 million (0.4%) to million (2010: million). Excluding High Rollers activity, revenue increased by 3.7 million (0.4%) to million (2010: million) mainly as a result of improved machines performance in the UK Retail estate. Profit before net finance expense, tax and non-trading items Profit before net finance expense, tax and non-trading items decreased by 19.6 million (9.5%) to million (2010: million). Excluding High Rollers activity, profit before net finance expense, tax, non-trading items and amortisation of customer relationships decreased by 8.8 million (4.3%) to million (2010: million) reflecting the improved machines performance offset by weaker OTC and sportsbook margins and a one-off VAT credit in Corporate costs Before non-trading items, corporate costs rose 0.2 million (0.9%) to 23.2 million (2010: 23.0 million). The increase largely reflects non-cash costs relating to long term share incentive schemes partially offset by lower costs elsewhere. 14

15 Amortisation of customer relationships In 2011 there was a 2.6 million amortisation charge within Digital in respect of customer relationships (2010: nil) as disclosed at the interims. Finance expense The net finance expense before non-trading items of 32.8 million was 1.2 million lower than last year (2010: 34.0 million) mainly reflecting lower average net debt. In 2010, there was also interest income of 20.0 million in respect of an interest rebate following the HMRC tax settlement. Profit before tax The decrease in trading profits as well as a higher overall finance expense, due to the one off interest rebate in 2010, has resulted in a 19.9% decrease in profit for continuing operations before tax and non-trading items to million (2010: million). Non-trading items before tax 20.3 million of continuing non-trading items before tax include an impairment charge in European Retail of 10.9 million, 1.9 million loss on the closure of shops and disposal of assets within UK and European Retail and 2.6 million relating to corporate transaction costs. Additionally, 4.4 million of restructuring costs were incurred across the Group. These relate to the re-organisation of the Group to a new cross-channel and customer centric structure. Following the termination of the Group s interest rate swaps in April 2010, the remaining 0.5 million of losses deferred in equity have been recycled to the income statement as a non-trading finance expense. Taxation The Group has made progress in the resolution of historic tax matters and has released tax provisions no longer required. This has led to a taxation charge for continuing operations before non-trading items of 18.4 million, representing an effective tax rate of 11.9% (2010: 18.4%, excluding the 2010 corporation tax settlement described below). There was a tax credit of 1.6 million in relation to non-trading items in 2011 (2010: 2.0 million). Assuming the corporation tax rate reductions, previously announced are enacted, our P&L guidance is 13% for 2012 and will remain at this level thereafter. The cash tax rate is anticipated to be circa 13%. In 2010 the Group reached a settlement with HMRC which resulted in the recognition in the 2010 income statement of a million tax credit in relation to prior years. Dividend The Board today announces a final dividend of 3.90 pence per share taking the full year dividend to 7.80 pence per share, an increase of 2.6% over last year. This dividend is approximately 2.0 times covered by underlying earnings excluding the impact of High Rollers. The dividend will be payable on 26 April 2012 to shareholders on the register on 16 March Earnings per share (EPS) Continuing operations Underlying EPS (before non-trading items, High Rollers and excluding the benefit of the corporation tax settlement in the comparative period) increased by 0.7% to 15.3 pence (2010: 15.2 pence), reflecting a lower net finance expense and an improved rate of corporation tax. Total EPS (before non-trading items) decreased 67.7% to 15.0 pence (2010: 46.4 pence), reflecting the benefit of the corporation tax settlement EPS (including the impact of non-trading items) was 13.0 pence (2010: 41.5 pence). Fully diluted EPS (including the impact of non-trading items) was 12.9 pence (2010: 41.4 pence) after adjustment for outstanding share options. Earnings per share (EPS) Group Underlying EPS (before non-trading items, High Rollers and excluding the benefit of the corporation tax settlement in the comparative) increased 7.7% to 15.3 pence (2010: 14.2 pence), reflecting the losses from discontinued operations in

16 Total EPS (before non-trading items) decreased 67.0% to 15.0 pence (2010: 45.4 pence), reflecting the benefit of the corporation tax settlement in EPS (including the impact of non-trading items) was 13.0 pence (2010: 38.5 pence). Fully diluted EPS (including the impact of non-trading items) was 12.9 pence (2010: 38.4 pence) after adjustment for outstanding share options. Cash flow, capital expenditure, borrowings and banking facilities Cash generated by operations was million. After net finance expense paid of 36.0 million, income taxes paid of 18.1 million and 77.3 million on capital expenditure and intangible additions, cash inflow was million. Post dividend payment of 69.0 million and other outflows of 1.9 million, free cash flow of 38.1 million was generated in the year. At 2011, gross borrowings of million less cash and short term deposits of 26.4 million has resulted in a net debt of million (2010: million). During the year the Group signed new five year facilities with its relationship banks totalling 540 million which will mature in These replace the existing arrangements which total 560 million and had been due to mature in The Group has a further 225 million bond which matures in Going concern In assessing the going concern basis, the directors considered the Group's business activities, the financial position of the Group and the Group's financial risk management objectives and policies. The directors consider that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and that it is therefore appropriate to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements. 16

17 Principal risks and uncertainties Key risks are reviewed by the Executive Committee (made up of executive directors and senior executives) and the Board of Ladbrokes plc on a regular basis and where appropriate, actions are taken to mitigate the key risks that are identified. The principal risks and uncertainties which could impact the Group are detailed on pages 16 to 18 of the Group s Annual Report and Accounts 2011 and are as follows: Strategy Achieving the Group s strategy will deliver long-term growth for the benefit of all stakeholders whilst minimising some of the key risks that Ladbrokes faces. Failure to achieve the strategy has the potential to affect the business and its performance. General risks faced by Ladbrokes that are comparable to those faced by most other businesses: Marketplace Changes in the economic environment and consumer leisure spend. Financial The availability of debt financing, the cost of borrowing, taxation and the pension fund liability. Operational The recruitment and retention of key talent and the execution of international expansion. Specific risks which are either unique to Ladbrokes or apply to the industry it operates in: Marketplace Competition Ladbrokes faces competition primarily from other land-based bookmakers, online betting exchanges and other online gambling operators. In particular, the online gambling market is characterised by intense and substantial competition and by relatively low barriers to entry for new participants. In addition, Ladbrokes faces competition from market participants who benefit from greater liquidity as a result of accepting bets and wagers from jurisdictions in which Ladbrokes chooses not to operate (because of legal reasons or otherwise). Betting and gaming industry Taxes, laws, regulations and licensing Regulatory, legislative and fiscal regimes for betting and gaming in key markets around the world can change, sometimes at short notice. Such changes could benefit or have an adverse effect on Ladbrokes and additional costs might be incurred in order to comply with any new laws or regulations. Increased cost of product Ladbrokes is subject to certain financing arrangements intended to support industries from which it profits. Examples are the horseracing and the voluntary greyhound racing levies which respectively support the British horseracing and greyhound industries. In addition, Ladbrokes enters into contracts for the distribution of television pictures, audio and other data that are broadcast into Ladbrokes betting shops. A number of these are under negotiation at any one time. Operational and bookmaking Bookmaking Ladbrokes may experience significant losses as a result of a failure to determine accurately the odds in relation to any particular event and/or any failure of its risk management processes. Sporting schedules and cancellations There are certain high profile sporting events which attract significant betting activity e.g. the Grand National and the FIFA Football World Cup. Cancellation or curtailment of such events, for example due to adverse weather conditions, or the failure of certain sporting teams to qualify for sporting events, can adversely impact Ladbrokes results. High fixed cost base Ladbrokes has a relatively high fixed cost base as a proportion of its total costs, consisting primarily of employee and rental costs associated with its betting shop estate. This means that falls in revenue could have a significantly 17

18 adverse effect on Ladbrokes profitability unless the Group reduces its costs substantially in the short to medium term. Loss of key locations Ladbrokes has a number of key sites, in particular Imperial House at Rayners Lane in London, its head office and main operations centre, and its premises in Europort in Gibraltar where the online betting and gaming operations are based. Information technology and communications Technology changes The market for online gambling products and services is characterised by technological developments, new product and service introductions and evolving industry standards. Failure by Ladbrokes to use leading technologies effectively, develop its technological expertise, enhance its products and services and improve the performance, features and reliability of its technology and advanced information systems, could have a material adverse effect on its competitive position. Technology failure Ladbrokes operations are highly dependent on technology and advanced information systems and there is a risk that such technology or systems could fail. In particular, any damage to, or failure of online systems and servers, electronic point of sale systems and electronic display systems could result in interruptions to financial controls and customer service systems. Data disclosure Ladbrokes processes sensitive personal customer data (including name, address, age, bank details and betting and gaming history) as part of its business and therefore must comply with strict data protection and privacy laws in all jurisdictions in which the Group operates. Ladbrokes is exposed to the risk that this data could be wrongfully appropriated, lost or disclosed, or processed in breach of data protection regulation. This could also result in prosecutions and the loss of the goodwill of its customers and deter new customers. Failure in the supply chain Ladbrokes is dependent on a number of third parties for the operation of its business. The withdrawal or removal from the market of one or more of these major third party suppliers, or failure of third party suppliers to comply with contractual obligations could adversely affect our operations. 18

19 Statement of Directors Responsibilities The following statements are extracted from pages 44 and 101 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2011 and are repeated here for the purposes of compliance with DTR These statements relate solely to the Annual Report and Accounts 2011 and are not connected to the extracted information set out in this announcement or the Preliminary Announcement. Statement of directors responsibilities in relation to the consolidated financial statements Each of the directors, whose names and functions are listed in pages 22 and 23 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2011, confirm that, to the best of each person s knowledge and belief: the financial statements, prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Group; and the Directors report contained in the Annual Report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face. Statement of the directors responsibilities in relation to the Company financial statements Each of the directors, whose names and functions are listed in pages 22 and 23 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2011, confirm that, to the best of each person s knowledge and belief: the financial statements, prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Company; and the Directors report contained in the Annual Report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face. By order of the Board R I Glynn I A Bull 16 February

20 Consolidated income statement Before Before non-trading non-trading items (1) Total items (1) Total m m m m Continuing operations Amounts staked (2) 16, , , ,011.7 Revenue Cost of sales before depreciation and amortisation (655.7) (656.7) (639.7) (639.7) Administrative expenses (82.9) (89.9) (82.9) (92.0) Share of results from joint venture and associates EBITDA Depreciation, amortisation and amounts written off non-current assets (50.8) (62.6) (53.5) (72.9) Profit before tax and net finance expense Finance expense (33.4) (34.0) (34.6) (53.1) Finance income (3) Profit before tax Income tax expense (18.4) (16.8) (35.6) (33.6) Income tax settlement credit (3) Profit for the year continuing operations Discontinued operations Profit/(loss) for the year from discontinued operations (8.7) (27.1) Profit for the year Attributable to: - equity holders of the parent - non-controlling interests Earnings per share from continuing operations: - basic 15.0p 13.0p 46.4p 41.5p - diluted 14.9p 12.9p 46.3p 41.4p Earnings per share on profit for the year: - basic 15.0p 13.0p 45.4p 38.5p - diluted 14.9p 12.9p 45.3p 38.4p Proposed dividends (4) 3.90p 3.90p 3.75p 3.75p (1) Non-trading items are profits or losses on disposal or impairment of non-current assets or businesses; unrealised gains and losses on derivative financial instruments; corporate transaction costs and business restructuring costs. Details of the non-trading items are given in note 4 and of discontinued operations in note 6 to the financial statements. (2) Amounts staked does not represent the Group s statutory revenue and comprises the total amounts staked by customers on betting and gaming activities. (3) In the prior year the Group reached a settlement with HMRC resulted in the recognition within the tax charge of a million tax credit in relation to prior years. Finance income also increased by 20.0 million to reflect the interest income on the settlement. (4 ) A final dividend of 3.90p (2010: 3.75p) per share, amounting to 35.2 million (2010: 33.8 million) was declared by the directors on 16 February The 2011 interim dividend of 3.90 pence per share ( 35.2 million) was paid on 1 December